Excavating machine



Sept 6, 1932-, E. L. ENNls 1,876,283

EXCAVATING MACHIN E Filed June 8, 1931 4 Sheets-Sheet l (1 Itorneg Sept. 6, 1932. E. LL.. ENNls 1,875,283

EXGAVATING MACHINE Filed Junea, 1951 4 sheets-sheet 2 Snventor Sept. 6, E L ENNlS EXCAVATING MACHINE Filed June 8, 1931 4 Sheets-Sheet. 5

(Ittomeg Sept- 5 1932- E. L. ENNls EXCAVATING' MACHINE Filed June 8. 1931 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented Sept. 6, 1932 f UNITED 'STATES ELMER L. ENNIs, or GARY, INDIANA EXCAVATING- MACHINE Application filed.y June 8, 1931. Serial No. 542,930;

My rpresent invention relatesv to improvements in excavating machines of the subgrader type, which while adapted for various purposes, are especially designed for use in the construction andgrading of roadbeds, highways, etc. preparatoryto laying. of

the macadam, concrete, or other similar material. v Y l The machine is equipped'with rollers or 50 wheels adapted to run on the spaced, parallel,

forms vat the lateral edges of the roadbed,

which provide rails upon which the machine may roll and a motor is mounted on the machine to provide power for propulsion of l5 the machine as well as for operating or driving the conveyers. Means are also provided whereby the machine may be pulled, as by a tractor, for accomplishing grading operations, and an auxiliary draft rigging may be provided, for use in transporting the machine from place to place, or from one section of lthe road under construction tov another section. f

scraper that is vertically adjustable relative to the roadbed, or rather, the machine carrying the rigidly mounted scraper, is adjustable relatively to the forms upon which the machine rolls, and the scraper'blade isadjustablel on its forms or rails to make cuts and `fills,

and conveyers arev utilized for 'distributing excess material collectedv or gathered by the scraper.

The invention consists in kcertain novel combinations and arrangements of parts as will hereinafterbe more fullyset forth andclaimed. In the accompanying .drawings I have illustraed one complete 'example of the physicalV embodiment 4of my invention wheretrl in the parts are combined and arranged` ac-v cording to the best mode I have thus 'far y, Y l l .Figure1.v Incarrying out my invention I'utilize a devised forthe practical application of the principles of my invention. vIt Will bev under stood that alterations and changesv maybe made in thel exemplified structure, jas lfor instance, in the driving and transmission mechanisms, and `inthe vadjusting; means, and in other parts, within'thescopelof'my claims without departing from the principles of my invention. 1 vIt will alsofbe understood lthat parts, such as flooring or deck portions, shields, and other features of the complete machine' have been omitted from the drawings, in order that the operating parts may not be obscured. These, and other partsnot illustrated,will form part ofthe equipment of the machine in operation. f

g Figure l is a view in front elevation of the excavating machine embodying my invention, showing the spaced side-rails or forms in section, and omitting some ofthe details of con- V struction, in the interest of a ready understanding of the machine. f Figure 2 yis a top plan. of the machine of Figure 3 is plementary end View of the machine as seen from the side of the roadway. v

Figures 5'and6 are detailed views'enlarged, showing oneof a pair of adjusting devices, VJfor vertically adjusting the machine with relation toits supportingfron't wheels-` Figure7 is an enlarged detailviewuat the an enlarged, vertical sectional view of the machine, and'Flgure 4 1s a com- 'left front of the machine showin-g Tone of the adjustable elevators,f and other details, and Figure 8 is a detail showing'the joint between the pivoted sections of the elevators;`V i

yFigure 9 is a plan view on a reduced scale, illustrating the carriage rigging `for the maj chine, by means of which theV machine may Y ,l

be lifted from the forms, ported, as desired. Y

' In the preferredform of my invention I utilize a rectangular mainframe madeup of I-beams I and 2, and the specialvfront beam 3, together with channel` irons or bars 4-,thelatter extending longitudinally of-theroadway tobe graded, and these partsforma/rigid main frame, suitably braced, and' equipped with floor boards, or a decky as required?.VK

As best seen inFigurel 3 thel front beam 3 andl then transis provided with a web having a slope of approximately 40o to the vertical, and the scraper blade 5 is supported in advance of this beam and substantially below the level of the machine frame. rlhe bottom edge of the scraper blade is fashioned to slope outwardly from the center toward its ends t0 provide a crown in the roadway, and the opposite ends of the blade are turned slightly forward for the purpose of gathering the material, and guiding the material to the rear as the blade advances.

The scraper blade is adj ustably mounted on a holder 6 that extends transversely of the roadway in the foim an angle iron bar, and this bar is vertically slotted, as at 7, to accommodate the clamping bolts 8 thatpass through the scraper blade and the slots rand are secured at the rear by the nuts 9 -at the 4Vback of the holder.

Vscraper blade, and this plate forms an apron 0r shelf upon which the soil is pushed or forced by the scraper blade, to be disposed of as will hereinafter be explained. A number of brace bars 12 are located under the apron and 4bolted at their Iends tothe lower flange of the 'beam 3 and to the holder 6 for bracing the blade against the resistance of the :soillas the blade advances.

. The 4machine'is supported on wheels 13 Aand 14 at 'the front and 15 and 16 at the rear corners of the rectangular frame, and the wheels as shown are adapted to roll back and forth `on the .two channel beams .17 and 18 spaced at proper distances and arranged in parallelism .at the sides of the roadway.

The scraper blade, which is rigid with the Y'main frame, and the front portion of the frame, may be elevated with relation to the .forms or tracks `17, 18, in order to adjust the lower edge of the scraper to the desired level of the surface of the graded roadway, and

for this purpose the. front wheels are provid- I ed with :bearing plates 19 with relation to which the front portion of the mainframe may be raised or lowered.

As best seen in Figure 6 the bearing plate is provided with a trunnion 2O on which the wheel (13 or 14) is journaled, and on the outer face of the channel bar 4 of the frame are secured a pair of spaced, flanged plates 21 overlapping the opposite edges of the bearing plate and forming with the outer face of the channel beam a retaining and guide slot that permits free vertical movement of ported on the top of the main frame.

the frame with relation to the bearing plates. A s the front of the frame and the scraper are raised or lowered they swing on the axles 22 of the rear wheels 15 and 1G.

Each wheel, 13 and 14, is provided with a bearing plate 19, and each plate is provided with a manually operated lifting lever 23, fulcrumed at 24 in a bracket on the frame, and pivoted at the end of its short arm, as at 24, to the upper end of the `bearing plate. Any suitable means may be employed for retaining the lever in adjusted position, as the pawl 25 Apivoted on the lever and adapted to engage a tooth in the segmental raclr 26 sup- Thus it will be apparent that by swinging the lever tothe right in Figure 6, the frame and scrap- .er bar may be lifted or elevated, or by swinging the lever to the leftrtlie parts may be lowered, with relation to the stationary bearing plate 19. Y

The machine may be driven forward and backward with power supplied from a suitable motor, indicated in a conventional manner at 27, the motor being. shown as mounted von the upper or top portion ofthe main frame. From the motorshaft 28, a chain drive 29 extends to and drives the power shaft 30 that is journaled in bearings A.and isdisposed transversely of the machine in front of the motor. A drive shaft I31 is journaled in bearings in the main frame, and

.driven from the power shaft by means of the bevel gears adapted to be shifted into and out of mesh, alternately, with a similar gear lonthe power shaft 30, and by shiftingv these gears it will be apparent that the gear shaft 34e may be revolved in opposite directionsA :thereby .transmitting the power in alternate-ly opposite directions to the drive shaft 31 for advancing and rearwardly moving the machine. The gear couple 32and other similar gear couples of the machine are of course lun-der'nianual control, and the gears L `are shifted at will for accomplishing the rej verse movements of the, operating parts.

is the machine is run forward and backward to operate the scraper for leveling, cutting, and filling, the surface of the roadway.,

the scraper is guided and braced laterally by means of guide rollers38, mounted on 'vertical journals, and carried at the opposite ends of the scraper blade, inposition to roll along the inner faces of the two forms of in.;

channel bars forming the rails V1.7, and 18 for the wheels of the machine.

siredthis material may be conveyed and dumpedV at Veither side' ofthe roadway, vor

simultaneously at both'sides of the roadway, beyond the forms 17 and 18. f

For conveying the material I employ two sets of endless conveyers 39 and 40, and 41 and 42, the latter being adjustable elevators at opposite ends of the machine designed to elevate the-material and dump the material at the sides of the roadway beyond the forms 17 and 18.

All of the endless conveyers include suitable endless belts provided with the customary conveyer blades indicated las 43.and spaced at suitable intervals apart for conveying the material. l y i The two conveyers 39 and 40 traverse the space in the front of the beam 3 and are located above the rear part of the apron, in order that they may'move the material as it is backed up by the scraper blade on the top of the apron. The endless conveyers may move the' material-in oppositeV directions towards the sides ofthe machine` or these conveyers 39 and 40 may move the m'aterialin one and the same direction.- Conveyer 39 may move the material to Vthe elevatorv41 while conveyor is moving material to the elevator 42; bothconveyers may move the material to elevator 41; or both conveyers may move the material towardthe elevator 42. v n

The endless belts of the conveyers pass around spaced rollers 43X and the shafts 44 of the rollers are journaled in adjustable bearings at 45, and similar adjustable bearings are provided for the elevators, for use as belt tighteners for the endless belts and chainsof the conveyers and elevators.

The rollers 43X are provided with one or.

more sprocket wheels 43 and the conveyers have one ormore chans 43a at the edges cf the belts for co-action with the wheels. The upper ends of the two outermost shafts 44 are provided with gear couples as 46 that are operated by gear shafts 47, and it will be noted that the rollers and the conveyersV are disposed at approximately an 'angle of 40 degrees to the horizontal plane of the machine. rIhe gear shafts 47receive power vfrom the power shaft30, through the shiftable gear coupling 48, and it will be apparent that by shifting the gears of thev coupling 48 the direction of movement of the endless conveyers may be controlled for movingthe excess material transversely of the machine on the apron.

The adjustable, endless elevators 41 and 42 are also driven from the power shaft and they are provided with shiftable gear couplings 49 en the shaft 30 vfor controlling the operation of the respective elevators.

The innerV ends of the elevators project downwardly through openings provided therefor in the opposite ends of the apron 11, and as best seen inFigure 7 the drive shaft 50 of each elevator is j ournaled invbearings 50 mounted on and beneath the main frame. This drive shaft is revolved through the gear couple 51 and vertical gear shaft 52,

and the latter shaft is journaled Iin suitable bearings, and equipped at its upper end'with a gear 53 for co-action with the clutch gear 49 of the power shaft. l

The elevators are actuated` through one or more sprocket wheels 54 and chains 54, and the.- elevatorsY are 'mounted inframes 55 mounted on the driving shafts 50, which frames are rigidly secured by brackets 55a. In order that the outer ends of the elevators may .be vertically adjusted with relation to the main section, for dumping the material over these outer ends, each elevator has an ex tension4 frame 455?), pivoted at 55e on the fixed section 55.

vFor supporting the adjustable extensions in adjusted position, 1 employ rigid upright posts 56, to which the brackets 55a-are bolted, and the posts are secured at the opposite ends of. they apron. At the upper ends of these posts are pivoted (as at 57) adjusting arms 58 that are pivoted `at 59 to the adjustable extensions 55?; of the elevators. The arms 58 are extensible and are equipped with turnl a transportion rig byY means of which the machine may be elevatedr apsuliicient height above the ground level to enable trundling` of the machine, when drawn by atractor,and

by means of the tractor the machine may be hauled or towed to its desired destination, on

the pair of wheels 60a.

' The wheels are journaled on the ends of a crank axle 61a and the crank axle is journaled in bearings 62a of the mainframe. By means Y of a' set ofreduction gears indicated at 63, thatconnect the axle 'with the power shaft 64, and thecrank arm or crank wheel l65 'on the powershaft or crank shaft, the latter may crank axle do-wn to vertical positionpand continued operating of the train of gears will lift the machine above the ground. Iii-this fr elevated position the-machine is'free ofthe ground, Aand after the gearing 63-hasbeen locked, as at 66, the machine is supported on vthe pair of wheels 6()a and mayjbe hauled or 'towed as desired. The crank axle as shown extends at right angles to the axles of vthe 'rollers orv wheels 13, 14, 15 and 16 of themachine, that is, transversely of the longer axis of the machine, in order that the machine may occupy a minimum roadsspace while it be 'turned to swing the crank ends ofthe is being towed in the direction of its longer or longitudinal axis.

After the machine has been towed or trundled to its destination for grading work, itis arranged in position over the forms 17 and 1S, the reduction gears 63 are released, but controlled, and the machine is permitted to sink by gravity to the rails or forms where it is supported on its wheels 13, 14, 15 and 16. The crank axle 61L is then turned up to position of Figure 7 in order that the transportation rig may be out of the way of the operations of the excavator.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new an d desire to secure by .Letters Patent is: 1. ln a wheeled excavating machine the combination with a main trame, a .tre-nt scraper-blade, and a rigid plate joining the frame blade and 'forming an apron ior eX- cess material, o1" an endless laterally moving convey-er mounted at the rear of and over said apron, an endless elevator at an end of the eonveyer in position to receive material therefrom, means for driving the machine, and means for operating the elevator ant'r the conveyor.

2. ln a Wheeled excavating' machine, the combination with a main trame, a liront scraper blade, a rigid horizontal apron joining said frame and blade, and means Yfor velevating the front of the frame and the scraper blade, of an endless laterally moving conveyer mounted at the rear of and over said apron, an endless -elevator at an end et' said conveyer in position to receive material therefrom, means for propelling the machine, and means for operating the elevator and the conveyor.

3. In a wheeled excavating machine, the combination with a main frame, a scraper blade, and an apron rigidly joining said blade and frame, of means for conveying material from the blade laterally across the apron and means for vertically adjusting the scraper end of the main frame with relation to a roadbed.

4, ln a wheeled excavating machine, the combination with a main trame, a scraper blade below the frame, and a. plate rigidly joining said blade and frame and forming a horizontal apron for excess material, of means for conveying material from the center toward both ends or' the apron, and elevating means at both ends of the apron for disposing of said material.

5. In a wheeled excavating machine, the combination with a main frame, a Vscraper blade below the Jrame, and a plate rigidly joining the frame and blade and forming a horizontal apron for excess material, of a pair of endless conveyors adapted to convey material. from the center toward the ends of the apron, and a pair of endless elevators adapted to receive said material at the outer `ends of said conveyers.

6. In a Wheeled excavating machine, the combination with a `main frame and means for vertically adjusting its front end, a scraper blade, and aplate rigidly joining the front end of the frame and the blade and l forming a horizontal apron for excess material, of a pair of endless conveyers adapted to convey from the center toward the ends of the apron, and an endless elevator at the outer end of each conveyer adapted to receive the material from said conveyers.

7. In awheeled excavating machine, the combination with a main frame and means for vertically adjusting said frame with relation to the front wheels of the vehicle, a scraper blade below and in front of the frame, and a plate rigidly joining the frame and blade and -iforming a horizontal apron for excess material, o1 a pair of endless conveyers adapted to convey material from the center toward the ends of the apron, means for reversing the movement of the conveyors, an endless elevator at the outer end of each conveyer, and means for vertically adjusting the outer ends of said elevators.Y

In testimony whereof I have affixed my si gnature.

ELMER L. ENNlS. 

